Hemp-brake.



C. SKINNER.

v HEMP BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23| 1916.

1,242,379. Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY CORNELIUS SKINNER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HEMP-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 191 '7.

Application filed March 23, 1916. Serial No. 86,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS SKINNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Louisville, county of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hemp- Brakes, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

This invention relates to hemp brakes.

Hemp is a tall annual herb, growing to a height of four to eight feet, it is grown over a wide range of territory, and is valuable on account of a tough fibrous bark, the fiber from which is used in making coarse kinds of cloth and cordage.

The hemp stalks are pulled up by the roots and then water, or dew retted, in order to loosen the fibers. After retting, the hemp is dried and then beaten, to separate the bast and fiber, this operation is called brakin Separation of the bast and fiber is an arduous and diflicult task, which is performed largely with hand operated devices.

An object of this invention is to provide mechanically operated means for braking hemp and analogous material.

- Another object is to provide mechanism of the class described which will be economical in construction, durable and efficient in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, wherein is set forth an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that such changes and modifications may be resorted to as come within the scope of the appended claims. I

Referring now to the drawing, which is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, the reference numeral designates a base, which may be of any desired construction, preferably quadrangular in shape, which may be mounted upon a stationary support, or upon wheels as illustrated. The base comprises longitudinal side members, or sills 2 connected by tie beams 3. At each end of the base, on the upper side thereof, a group or swords or blades, 4- is positioned. These blades are disposed transversely of the base and are held thereon in spaced, adjustable relationship by suitable means, as clips 5 which embrace the blades and. extending through elongated slots 6- in the sill, are secured by means of nuts -7. The group may comprise any desired number of blades. I hare found four to give satisfactory results. ihe spacing of the blades may be varied in accordance with the material to be acted upon, or the conditions thereof. Midway of the base a quadrilateral structure is erected, comprising standards -8, 9, and 10, ll-, wiich are connected at their upper ends by tie-beains 12, 13 A transverse shaft 1 l, suitably journaled in bearings -l5 which are secured on stringers 1(3, has on each end a crank 17-. A sprocket wheel, 18 secured on the shaft 1-iprovides means whereby power from any sur .:-le source may be applied to the shaft 1%. @n each of the standards, preferably on the outer side thereof, a fixed vertical shaft 20- is mounted, being spaced from the standards and held in fixed relationship thereto by brackets -21. U- shaped members -22-, whichI term shackles, are slidably mounted on these vertical shafts. A spring 23 is disposed about the shaft, between the shackle and the lower bracket. Another spring 24l is disposed about the shaft, between the arms of the shackle, a set collar 25- is placed above the spring, serving to adjust the tension thereof. fiinge lugs, or ears, -26 project from the face of the shackle at the lower end thereof. A pair of rectangular frames 27 are provided at their inner ends with hinge members 29 which are pivotally engaged with the ear 26 on the shackle, by means of pins 30. The frames 27, are of substantially the same dimensions as that portion of the base that lies forward of the standards. At the forward end of each of the frames, a group of blades 81 are secured by clips -32- in a manner similar to the blades 4:, on the base. The blades in the groups on the frames are preferably one in number less than the number in the corresponding group on the base, and are so disposed as to mesh therewith when the frame is in the lowered position. A lifting bar, or lever, 33, is hingedly attached to each of the frames at a point 34, intermediate its length, and extends there along, and past the pivotal, or fulcrum point 30, to a point substantially midway between the standards 8, 9 and 10, 11. Pitman rods 4':5 are pivotally connected respectively with the inner, or free ends, of the lifting bars and with the cranks 17 on the shaft 14, on the upper end of the super-structure. It is evident that as a crank moves downward, it will, through the medium of the connected pitman rod, exert stress on the inner end of the lever 33, and, acting through the fulcrum point 30, raise the forward end of the frame to which it is connected. It is obvious that if, when raised, the frames 27 were released, they would fall by gravity, and the force of the blow struck would be proportional to the weight of the frame. However as the frames are rigidly connected with the cranks they travel in unison therewith and as the speed thus acquired is greater than that which they would attain in falling by gravity a hammer like blow will be delivered. In a rigidly connected mechanism associated parts must complete their cycle of movement without interference with the travel of any part, or disaster will result. In the case in question if an object should be interposed in the downward path of the frame, which the blow delivered would not break, the continued travel of the crank-shaft would cause disruption of the mechanism but for the provision of relief, in the shape of yielding member -85, which I term a saddle spring, which sits on the lifting lever at about the fulcrum point and is held in position thereon by means of bolts 6 which extend upward, from the rear tie beam of the frame, on each side of the lifting lever, and through an overlying plate 37, nuts 38 on the upper ends of the bolts serving to regulate the tension of the spring. I have found that the force of the blow delivered, can be increased by compressing the spring 35 and vice versa. IVith the construction just described, if an obstacle were placed in the path of the frame, the lifting lever would continue its upward movement until the saddle-spring was completely compressed, then the rear end of the frame would be raised against the tension of the springs 24:. The springs 23, 24 serve to cushion the shock caused in overcoming the inertia of the frame in reversing the travel of the frame.

In operation, an operator stands at each end of the machine, and opening out a bundle of hemp spreads it out over the lower group of blades, with the ends of the stalks even with the inmost blade, the frames descend alternately, the blades thereon striking the hemp as it lays across the lower blades, breaking and separating the shive, or woody part from the bast, and fiber. As the frames rise the stalks are fed farther in until the bundle has been beaten for about half its length, when it is reversed the shives and waste falling through the blades to the ground.

Having thus described my invention so that anyone skilled in the art pertaining thereto may make and use the same, I cla1m:

Claims.

1. In a hemp brake, a base, a plurality of blades disposed thereon, a frame, a plurality of cooperating blades disposed thereon, posts erected on said base, rods ositioned on said posts, brackets slidiibly mounted on said rods and hinged connections between said frame and said bracket.

In a hemp brake, a base, a plurality of blades disposed thereon, a frame, a plurality of cooperating blades disposed thereon, posts erected on said base, rods positioned on said posts, brackets slidably mounted on said rods, springs disposed about said rods and opposing the movement of said brackets and hinged connections between said frame and the brackets.

In a hemp brake, a base, a plurality of blades disposed thereon, oppositely disposed posts erected on said base, rods posil tioned on said posts, brackets slidably mounted on said rods, a frame pivotally connected to said brackets, an arm hinged to said frame, intermediate its length and extended rearwardly past said pivotal point, and actuating means connected with the free end of said arm.

4. In a hemp brake, a base, a plurality of blades disposed thereon oppositely disposed posts erected on said base, rods positioned on said posts, brackets slidably mounted on said rods, a frame pivotally connected to said brackets, an arm hinged to said frame intermediate its length and extended rearwardly past said pivotal point, means associated with said frame and engaged with said arm intermediate its length for the purose of limiting the movement of the arm relative to the frame.

5. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mountedmeans connected with the frame in proximity to the rear edge thereof and engaged with said arm to limit the movement thereof relative to the frame.

6. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged to the upper side of said frame intermediate the length thereof and extending rearwardly therefrom, and a strap embracing said arm and attached to the frame at its rear end for the purpose of limiting the movement of the arm relative to the frame.

'7. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged to said frame and extended rearwardly therefrom and means connected with the frame and with said arm for limiting the movement of the arm relative to the frame.

S. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged to the upper side of said frame intermediate its length and extending rearwardly therefrom, a strap embracing said arm and attached to the frame at its rear end for the purpose of limiting the movement of the arm relative to the frame and a spring interposed between the strap and arm.

9. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged to the upper side of said frame intermediate the length thereof and extending rearwardly therefrom, means connected With the frame in proximit to the rear end thereof and adapted to yieldingly oppose movement of the arm relative to the frame.

10. In a hemp brake, a base, a plurality of blades disposed thereon, a frame, a plurality of cooperating blades disposed thereon, posts erected on said base to which the frame is hingedly attached, an arm hinged to said frame intermediate its length and extended rearWardly therefrom pastthe hinge point, resilient means tending to main tain the arm normally in contact With the frame and actuating means connected With the free end of said arm.

11. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged thereto and extended therealong from said hinge point past the rear edge of said frame, means connected with the frame in proximity to the rear edge thereof and engaged With said arm intermediate the length thereof for the purpose of restraining the movement of the arm away from the frame and actuating means connected with the free end of the arm.

12. In a hemp brake, a pivotally mounted frame, an arm hinged thereto and extended therealong from said hinge point past the rear edge of said frame, resilient means connected respectively with said frame and with said arm adapted to yieldingly resist movement of the arm from its normal position relative to the frame, and actuating means connected with the free end of the arm.

13. In a hemp brake, a main frame, a flail frame yieldingly hinged thereto, in combination With an operating arm for said flail frame hinged to the latter at an intermediate point, extending beyond one edge of said flail frame, and having a yielding connection With said flail frame at a point remote from the hinge of said operating arm.

CORNELIUS SKINNER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

